I downloaded http://www.intra2net.com/en/developer/libftdi. The instructions say "Follow the instructions included in the version supplied for your architecture. I could find no instructions. I tried to configure and build the library but I get

checking for libusb-config... /usr/local/lib/libusb-1.0.s0.0.0.0:/usr/kerberos/sbin:/usr/kerberos/bin:/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/sbin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/usr/X11R6/bin:/root/bin./configure: line 19885: /usr/local/lib/libusb-1.0.s0.0.0.0:/usr/kerberos/sbin:/usr/kerberos/bin:/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/sbin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/usr/X11R6/bin:/root/bin: No such file or directory./configure: line 19886: /usr/local/lib/libusb-1.0.s0.0.0.0:/usr/kerberos/sbin:/usr/kerberos/bin:/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/sbin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/usr/X11R6/bin:/root/bin: No such file or directorychecking if libusb version is >= 0.1.7... ./configure: line 19899: /usr/local/lib/libusb-1.0.s0.0.0.0:/usr/kerberos/sbin:/usr/kerberos/bin:/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/sbin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/usr/X11R6/bin:/root/bin: No such file or directory

yum says that I do have libsub installed. Please help this Linux newbie

I'm not sure I understand: If your only desire is to load a new Uboot, there are simpler options than installing a whole OpenOCD environment on an Intel Linux box. Perhaps the simplest way is to run Rabeeh Khoury's SheevaPlug Installer:

This will install a fairly nice Uboot (which has the ability to boot from an SDcard), something the official version doesn't support. The installer actually uses a statically compiled version of openocd to access the Plug to write the new Uboot and environment. It then automatically goes on to install a fairly recent Unix, but if you are quick to interrupt it, you can upgrade the Uboot w/o erasing your existing Unix.

If you still have a viable Uboot on your Plug, I think there is also a Uboot command to upgrade itself by copying a new version of the Uboot onto the NAND, which may be a simpler approach.

Don't get me wrong: I'm sure a comprehensive OpenOCD environment is useful for development and experimentation, but it isn't a prerequisite for simply installing a new Uboot.